Baffle filters for carburetors

ABSTRACT

The embodiment of the present invention provides for a means to regulate automatically the intake of air delivered by the carburetor filter to the carburetor in a conventional type internal combustion engine. Other special applications are also covered by the present invention. By means of a plurality of stationary and movable baffle plates forming a number of air enclosures or units the quantity of air entering the carburetor may be controlled. Less air is delivered to the carburetor when the engine idles and more air when the engine races. An additional advantage of this baffle plate arrangement is that when the engine misses the baffle plates will catch the spitback and help recycle the gases, thus helping to lower pollution.

United States Patent [191 Heintzelman [4 Dec. 24, 1974 BAFFLE FILTERS FOR CARBURETORS [76] Inventor: Leo Heintzelman, 4990 Burlingame S.W., Wyoming, Mich. 49509 [22] Filed: Aug. 27, 1973 [21] Appl. N0.: 392,042

[52] US. Cl 55/420, 55/421, 55/DIG. 28, 123/73 R [51] Int. Cl. B0ld 50/00 [58] Field of Search 55/418, 419, 420, 421, 55/218, DIG. 28; 123/73 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,436,099 11/1922 Hill 55/459 X 3,782,079 1/1974 Heintzelman 55/420 X Primary Examiner-Frank W. Lutter Assistant Examiner-William Cuchlinski, Jr.

[5 7] ABSTRACT The embodiment of the present invention provides for a means to regulate automatically the intake of air delivered by the carburetor filter to the carburetor in a conventional type internal combustion engine. Other special applications are also covered by the present invention. By means of a plurality of stationary and movable baffle plates forming a number of air enclosures or units the quantity of air entering the carburetor may be controlled. Less air is delivered to the carburetor when the engine idles and more air when the engine races. An additional advantage of this baffle plate arrangement is that when the engine misses the baffle plates will catch the spitback and help recycle the gases, thus helping to lower pollution.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing [Figures 1 BAFFLE FILTERS FOR CARBURETORS The Present invention relates to devices which may be readily utilized in automobile and other internal combustion engines, and more particularly it relates to such devices which may be mounted inside the carburetor filter and may be manufactured as a separate accessory or as a device manufactured as an adjunct to already available carburetors mass-produced in the automobile factory; or may be incorporated into any commercially available filter.

The primary embodiment of the present invention is to provide a simple and efficient means to permit the entry of measured quantities of fresh air into the carburetor of an internal combustion engine. When the engine idles lower quantities of air need enter the carburetor, while when the engine races more air is necessary to produce the proper mixture to burn the fuel. The invention also behaves as an automatic choke. When the engine calls for more fuel, the baffles open. The unit permits greater mileage. The present invention provides a substantially circular band, in the form of a cylindrical body, preferably made of sheet metal, and having upon its outer periphery a plurality of punched holes to form a cylindrical air filter in the carburetor. Brackets may be provided to help secure the cylindrical band to the air filter but are not essentially necessary. The band may remain anchored within the cylindrical filter by mere friction.

The cylindrical band above referred to may be provided with a plurality of air baffle plates. Some of these plates may be mounted within the cylindrical band stationary and inclined at an angle, while other baffle plates are hingeably mounted and may be under the influence of a coil spring. The ends of the hingeably mounted baffle plates will contact the ends of the stationary plates to form an air trap as a unit. When the baffle plates are contacting in the above explained manner they will prevent the trapped air from escaping into the carburetor. When the engine idles not too much air is necessary to run the engine, and air can reach the carburetor through the holes in the cylindrical band which is not under the influence of the spring laden baffle plates. When, however, the engine races and more air is necessary to reach the carburetor for a better air-fuel mixture, a vacuum is created in the carburetor pipe which forces the spring laden baffle plates to hinge open and to allow the trapped air to exit and be delivered to the carburetor. The faster the engine runs the more the baffle plate units open and the more air is being delivered to the carburetor. When the engine begins to idle, the baffle plates under the influence of the coil springs tend to close again and thus less air is permitted to enter the carburetor for a lighter air-fuel mixture. An advantage in this baffle plate arrangement is that when the engine misses the baffle plates will catch the spitback thus recycling the gases and helping to lower pollution. This type baffle plate unit may be readily utilized in any fuel burning internal combustion engine or gas engine available today in the market.

While the cylindrical band above described may be readily produced from sheet metal and can be provided with air holes, it may also be manufactured from a heavy gage wire mesh. The stationary and the hinging baffle plates in the latter case may be attached to the wire mesh by means of special brackets welded thereto.

However, it is understood that this device may be readily produced in a number of modifications. As an example, for instance, both hinging and stationary baffie plates may be as wide as the vertical side of the cylindrical band or they may be somewhat shorter than than the height of the cylindrical band. The main object of the baffle plate design is to regulate the amount of air being delivered to the carburetor. Accordingly, when the baffle plates are of the same height as the filter then the bottom of the filter housing forms also the bottom of the baffle plate unit, and the carburetor housing cover forms the ceiling of the baffle plate unit. The trapped air will be held within the floor and the ceiling space in the baffle plate unit. Suction (in the carburetor intake pipe) will open the spring-laden baffle plates. In cases where the baffle plates are shorter than the total height of the filter, in that event, there is provided in the baffle unit an artificial bottom with the cover of the carburetor housing still forming the ceiling of the baffle unit. This particular design detail will be made clear later as the description of this invention will proceed.

From the above description of the present invention it becomes obvious that in a conventional type air filter the cylindrical band above described may be provided with air holes or it may be formed of wire mesh. In such a unit half of the baffle plates are stationary and the other half are hingeably mounted. Baffle plates also may be attached or mounted within the standard type air filter and may be pre-fabricated during the automobile manufacturing process.

One object of the present invention is to provide an air regulating means for carburetors which will be inexpensive to manufacture and easy to install inside a carburetor housing of standard manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a circular band upon which may be mounted a group of stationary and a group of hingeably mounted baffle plates to help regulate the delivery of air to the carburetor.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide spring loading of half of the baffle plates in the device above referred to for the purpose as above intended.

Further and additional objects will appear as the description of this invention will proceed. This invention also contains certain other features of construction and the combination and arrangement of several parts to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and in the specification, and specifically pointed out in the appended claim. In describing the invention in detail, references will be made to the accompanying drawing where like character numerals denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views in which:

FIG. 1 is a top elevational view showing the embodiment of the present invention and the manner in which it is mounted inside a conventional type carburetor filter, with the cover partially broken. away;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top elevational view of FIG. 1, showing in detail the embodiment of the present invention and more particularly the relationship of a hinging baffle plate unit to a stationary baffle plate when the engine is idling, with dotted lines showing this relationship when the engine is racing;

FIG. 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, showing the hinging and the stationary baffle plate unit when the unit is of a size corresponding with the full height of the carburetor air intake housing; and

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the hinging and the stationary baffle plates unit when the plates are of a size shorter than the total height on the carburetor filter housing.

Referring now in detail to the embodiment of the present invention, and more particularly to FIG. 1, which shows best a top elevational view of the device, index numeral indicates the outer configuration of a standard type carburetor air intake and air filter chamber (with cover partially broken away) having an air intake section or nozzle 11 which permits the entry of atmospheric air into the carburetor housing (the direction of the incoming air is indicated by means of the arrow A). A circular conventional type carburetor air filter 12 is shown mounted in the carburetor housing 10, substantially as shown.

The embodiment of the present invention provides for the utilization of a cylindrical ring or band 13 which fits snugly within the inner confines of the carburetor filter 12. A plurality of stationary and a number of hinging baffle plates are provided and may be mounted vertically in respect to the vertical inner wall of the band 13. The drawing shows the utilization of six hinging baffle plates and six stationary plates. However, it is understood that there can be a greater or a lesser number of hinging and stationary plates. The stationary plates 14 are held within the circular band 13 in a somewhat inclined angle which may be from 30 to 45 (approximately). The stationary plates are somewhat shorter in length than the hinging plates 15. Furthermore the stationary baffle plates are provided with short extensions 14' which may be secured to the inside wall of the band 13 by means of welding or riveting. However, the hinging baffle plates 15 by means of their respective hinges 16 are mounted to hinge upon the small hinge brakets 15. The latter held to the band 13 support the hinging plates 15 by means of the hinge pins 15". Each swinging baffle plate 15 is provided with a coiled spring 17 and is under the influence of the spring to be held in a closed position. One end 17' of the coiled spring 17 is secured directly to an extension or the ear 18 in the wall of the band 13, while the opposite end 19 of the spring 17 is held to an extension 20 which is formed in the baffle plate 15, substantially as shown.

It can be discerned from the above description of construction that the hinging baffle plates are at all times under the influence of the coil spring 17, with the extreme end (n) of the hinging baffle plate contacting at all times the extreme end (m) of the stationary baffle plate 14, thus forming an air tight enclosure, a compartment or a unit. This unit remains in closed position and will only open under the influence of the suction or the vacuum created by the carburetor in the en gine (not shown). The suction in the carburetor will force the hinging plates 15to disengage from the stationary plate 14 and to open the compartment or the 7/ unit. The hinging baffle plates 15 will stay open to permit the trapped air in the compartment to leave and to enter the pipe leading to the carburetor (indicated by the arrows B).

Reference now being had more particularly to FIG. 3, can be discerned that both the stationary and the hinging baffle plates 14, and 15, respectively, are of the same height as the inner wall of the circular band 13. Thus the bottom (b) of the filter housing 10 forms in this case the bottom of this particular baffle plate unit. The underside (u) of the carburetor housing cover (C) forms in this case the ceiling of the baffle plate unit. However, reference being had to FIG. 4 (which is a section similar to the FIG. 3) here it can be discerned that in this latter case both the stationary plates 14 and the baffle plates 15 are somewhat shorter than the total height of the inner wall of the band 13. To complete the unit there is provided an artificial bottom b). The bottom (b) by means of the flanged extension (b") may be secured to the inner wall of the circular band 13, substantially as indicated.

A careful examination of the foregoing description in conjunction with the invention as illustrated in the drawing, will enable the reader to obtain a clear understanding and impression of the alleged features of merit and novelty, sufficient to clarify the construction of the invention as hereinafter claimed. Some minor changes in shape, size and materials, and the rearrangement of parts, may be resorted to in actual practice without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims.

Having described in detail the overall construction of my invention, its objects and its operation, what I claim as new and original is the following:

1. In an air regulator for a carburetor, including, in combination, a band of a given height, forming an enclosure a plurality of holes extending through said band so that air may freely pass therethrough, means forming an air trap for air passing through at least some of said holes in said band to restrict the flow of air into the enclosure formed by said band, said air trap means including a plurality of baffle plates movably mounted within said band for movement between a closed posi tion, blocking air movement through said air trap, and an open position, permitting air movement through said air trap, and means for biasing said baffle plates in a closed position so that the baffle plates are opened by an increase in vacuum pressure in the carburetor and closed when the vacuum pressure within the carburetor drops.

2. An air regulator according to claim 1 wherein said baffle plates are hingedly mounted within said band for free swinging movement into the central portion of said enclosure.

3. An air regulator according to claim 2 wherein said trap means includes at least one stationary baffle extending from an inner surface of said band and meeting a surface portion of one of the said hinged baffle plates.

only some of said holes. 

1. IN AN AIR REGULAR FOR A CARBURETOR, INCLUDING, IN COMBINATION, A BAND OF A GIVEN HEIGHT, FORMING AN ENCLOSURE A PLURALITY OF HOLES EXTENDING THROUGH SAID BAND SO THAT AIR MAY FREELY PASS THERETHROUGH, MEANS FORMING AN AIR TRAP FOR AIR PASSING THROUGH AT LEAST SOME OF SAID HOLES IN SAID BAND TO RESTRICT THE FLOW OF AIR INTO THE ENCLOSURE FORMED BY SAID BAND, SAID AIR TRAP MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF BAFFLE PLATES MOVABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID BAND FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A CLOSED POSITION, BLOCKING AIR MOVEMENT THROUGH SAID AIR TRAP, AND AN OPEN POSITION, PERMITTING AIR MOVEMENT THROUGH SAID AIR TRAP, AND MEANS FOR BIASING SAID BAFFLE PLATES IN A CLOSED POSITION SO THAT
 2. An air regulator according to claim 1 wherein said baffle plates are hingedly mounted within said band for free swinging movement into the central portion of said enclosure.
 3. An air regulator according to claim 2 wherein said trap means includes at least one stationary baffle extending from an inner surface of said band and meeting a surface portion of one of the said hinged baffle plates.
 4. An air regulator according to claim 3 wherein said biasing means includes a tension spring secured at one end to said band within said trap means and at another end to said one hinged baffle plate.
 5. An air regulator according to claim 1 wherein said trap means restricts the flow of air through only some of said holes.
 6. An air regulator according to claim 1 wherein said trap means includes a plurality of compartments formed with said band, and said compartments cover only some of said holes. 